From strategy and practice to organizational success in internationalization: A qualitative approach

Research background: Digital transformation is recasting the logic of international expansion, yet the literature seldom analyses the mutually reinforcing effects of managerial practice and emergent technologies. Purpose of the article: Building on semi-structured interviews with eleven senior managers drawn equally from SMEs and large corporations, this qualitative study examines how B2B strategic configurations, when mediated by digital tools, translate into competitive strength and, ultimately, superior organisational performance across borders. Methods: Thematic analysis uncovers three interlocking mechanisms: (i) dynamic portfolio adaptation, enabling real-time alignment between product attributes and market microsegments; (ii) data-enabled orchestration of global partnerships that compresses learning cycles and mitigates distance-related risk; and (iii) digitally-driven performance monitoring, which transcends conventional financial metrics by integrating customer-centric and sustainability indicators. Findings & Value added: Moreover, the findings highlight the strategic salience of intangible digital assets, data-governance routines, analytics competencies and robust cyber-security protocols, in safeguarding reputation and unlocking cross-border synergies, a dimension rarely addressed in prior SME-centred work. When such digital capabilities are embedded in a coherent managerial vision, firms report markedly faster market entry, deeper customer penetration and sustained profitability; where technology is adopted as a mere operational bolton, performance spill-overs are largely absent. For practitioners and policy-makers, the study provides evidence-based guidance on designing integrated expansion road-maps that leverage digitalisation to enhance competitiveness and long-run performance in today’s hyper-connected global economy. Future research can build upon this foundation by testing the model quantitatively across industries and institutional settings.